Verbena plant named ‘Balazvio’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Balazvio’ characterized by its violet purple-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, good basal branching, and compact, semi-upright growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Verbena×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balazvio’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant botanically known as Verbena×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Balazvio’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in ArroyoGrande, Calif. during February 2003. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Verbena cultivars with attractive flowercoloration, continuous flowering, small, dark green-colored foliage,excellent basal branching, and a trailing growth habit.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryVerbena×hybrida breeding selection designated BFP-2256, not patented,characterized by its lavender colored-flowers having a dark eye, mediumgreen-colored foliage, and semi-trailing growth habit. The male (pollen)parent of the new cultivar was ‘Lan Roy Pur’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,980, characterized by its dark purple-colored flowers, darkgreen-colored foliage, and mounded-trailing growth habit. The newVerbena was discovered and selected by the inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollinationduring May 2003 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceMay 2003 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with allcharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balazvio’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Verbena plant:

-   -   1. Violet purple-colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage;    -   3. Good basal branching; and    -   4. Compact, semi-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and from plants of the male parent primarilyin flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Verbena cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘LanBule’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,604. However, in side by side comparisons,plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Lan Bule’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have more inflorescences than        plants of ‘Lan Bule’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a different flower color from        plants of ‘Lan Bule’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balazvio’. Theplants were grown 10 cm pots for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balazvio’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of‘Balazvio’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of two flowers of ‘Balazvio’ showingvariation in color.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Apr. 11, 2005 between 3:00p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium.Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 80°F. (21° C. to 26° C.) during the day and approximately 62° F. to 65° F.(17° C. to 18° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 5,000 to8,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena×hybrida cultivar Balazvio.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Verbena×hybrida breeding            selection designated BFP-2256, not patented.        -   Male parent—‘Lan Roy Pur’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,980.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Compact, semi-upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 10.6 cm. Width: Approximately 48.8 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Approximately 6            main branches per plant with lateral branches potentially            forming at every node.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Length: Approximately 23.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately            2.0 mm. Texture: Hispid. Color: 144A. Internode length at            center of branch: Approximately 2.7 cm.        -   Foliage.—Number of leaves per main branch: Approximately 15.            Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite:            Aspect: Perpendicular to stem. Shape: Ovate. Margin:            Irregular. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 2.8 cm. Width            of mature leaf: Approximately 2.1 cm. Texture of upper            surface: Densely pubescent. Texture of lower surface:            Sparsely pubescent and densely pubescent along veins. Color            of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with            venation of N145D. Color of lower surface of young and            mature foliage: 138A with venation of 144D. Petiole length:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Petiole diameter: Approximately            1.6 mm. Petiole texture: Densely pubescent. Petiole color:            144D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balazvio’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 10.8 weeks from sticking            of unrooted cutting.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 5 to 7 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type.—Corymb. Quantity per plant: Approximately 9 at11            weeks. Height: Approximately 4.1 cm. Width: Approximately            5.8 cm. Quantity of fully opened flowers per inflorescence            at any one time: Approximately 18. Fragrance: None.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 3.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.5 mm.            Texture: Hirsute. Color: 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Sessile, salverform. Fragrance: None.        -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes 3 to 6 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Elongated, globular. Length:            Approximately 3.8 mm. Diameter: Approximately 3.5 mm. Color:            Closest to 83B.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Round. Diameter: Approximately 2.1 cm.            Depth: Approximately 4.2 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5 fused at base forming a tube.            Appearance: Velvety. Aspect: Flat. Shape: Obovate. Apex:            Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture of upper surface:            Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous with sparse            glandular-pubescence around the corolla tube opening. Gland            color: N83A. Length of upper petal from tube: Approximately            9.4 mm. Width of upper petal: Approximately 9.6 mm. Length            of lateral petal from tube: Approximately 8.6 mm. Width of            lateral petal: Approximately 8.4 mm. Length of lower petal            from tube: Approximately 8.3 mm. Width of lower petal:            Approximately 7.3 mm. Color of upper surface when first            open: Closest to N79B. Color of upper surface when fully            open: Closest to but darker and bluer than N81A at margin            and N79B at base. Color of lower surface when first open:            Closest to N82A. Color of lower surface when fully open:            Closest to N82B with N82A at edges. Whiskers of 155C            surround the opening of the corolla tube.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 2.0 cm. Diameter at            corolla: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base:            Approximately 1.2 mm. Texture of inner surface: Moderately            pubescent. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Tube            color of inner and outer surfaces: 145D.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular with 5 acute tips. Length/Depth:            Approximately 1.1 cm. Width: Approximately 2.2 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Sepal length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Sepal            width: Approximately 1.7 mm. Texture of upper surface:            Densely glandular-pubescent. Texture lower surface:            Glabrous. Gland color: N83A. Color of upper and lower            surfaces: 143A in the central region and 143C where the            margins fuse. Stipule shape: Lanceolate. Stipule apex:            Acuminate. Stipule length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Stipule            width at base: Approximately 1.4 mm. Texture of upper or            inner surface of stipule: Densely glandular-pubescent.            Texture of lower or outer surface of stipule: Glabrous.            Stipule color: 143D at base transitioning to 143A at tip.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4. Stamen            length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther shape: Ovate, bilobed.            Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 144A.            Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity:            One per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Stigma            shape: Funnel. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma            color: 144A. Style length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Style            color: 145C. Ovary diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary            texture: Glabrous. Ovary color: 144C.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Verbena has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Balazvio’,substantially as herein shown and described.